As soon as they returned to their lair, Phisola started processing the bodies. Hanging them upside-down above the cauldron, she slit their throats, unleashing pools of blood. Rather than watch the gross spectacle his stomach wasn’t ready for, Eric decided to leave the main room, telling her to call him when she’s done with the bodies.

But it took far longer than he expected. Initially, he thought he’d return once Phisola tells him everything is done. He assumed it would be as soon as the bodies were drained out of their blood, which is why they brought those bodies back in the first place. But hours passed without Phisola showing up. He considered returning on his own a few times but decided against it out of worry he might see something that would make him hate her.

“It’s been hours. The bodies should be drained by now. What the fuck is taking her so long? Some magical mumbo-jumbo? I bet some magic is involved, preserving the blood in the cauldron or something. But wait … if blood is used for magic, and she is a mage … then can she get like … high on it? Like, can she draw some … pleasure from … consuming blood or …”

He shook his head to get the unpleasant thoughts out of it: “Stop it, idiot! That’s not how it works! Coal generates energy, yet coal miners don’t eat it! But, then again, she is some kind of which. I mean, she calls herself devil, and she herself claims she is evil. What if she is eating their hearts or something? For all that I know … it could be true. She doesn’t appear to have any moral boundaries … and keeps me close only because she doesn’t want to be alone. So maybe she is … after all … it’s taking way too long. She is clearly very busy with something … or did she forget about me?”

He leaned back against a rock.

“No, it’s much more likely she’s just messing with me. I basically left her to do all the work alone, and I bet she doesn’t appreciate it. But man, the way she picked that elf up and hung her above the cauldron … I don’t know a man who’d do it so easily, so it’s not like she needed my help anyway. I’d only get in her way. And imagine if I’d start vomiting there, next to the cauldron. It wouldn’t take much. I’m not used to seeing people hanging upside-down with their throats slit … meanwhile, she did it as if she was tying up her shoelaces. That woman is fucking dangerous man … I should really stop giving her sass. After what I saw her do … how she fought those adventurers with ease and killed without any remorse … I better start taking her seriously … start treating her like the psycho bitch that she really is.”

“But, then again, maybe a psycho is exactly what I need to get me out of here. Huh, how funny … in the end, I’m the damsel in distress. I just hope I don’t develop Stockholm syndrome and keep my head clear till the end. But she is less abusive to me now … let’s hope it stays like that …”

“Hey, fucker,” Phisola interrupted his musings. Looking up at her, he saw her holding two steaming bowls.

“Are you done?”

“Yes, I’m done. I also made us a nice lunch to celebrate.”

“Ah … so that’s why it took you so long.”

“Yes, I needed much more time to prepare the food than to drain those bodies, but you’ll see it was definitely worth it. I made us something special to celebrate the big haul we got.”

“Oh,” he accepted the steaming bowl from her hands, “is this … a stew?”

“Yes, but it’s a special one. I used some of the best ingredients I have.”

“I mean, thank you very much … wait a minute,” Eric’s facial expression turned into worrisome in an instant, “is there any blood in this?”

“Blood? Why the fuck would I put blood in our food?”

“I don’t know, like spice, maybe? I’m just asking because I know nothing of your cooking. You did mention …”

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“No, there’s no blood in it. Blood doesn’t taste good, unless you’re a vampire. It’s unhealthy for normal people to drink blood.”

“But you’re a devil.”

“Being a devil is an upgrade. Devils aren’t born, they’re made. Besides, blood is the most important thing to us right now, we need it to get out of here. Why would I waste it on food?”

“Hmm … that makes sense. Sorry, I’m not trying to be ungrateful. I appreciate this stew very much.”

“You’ll appreciate it even more once you dig in.”

“It’s just that I’ve never been in a life-or-death situation before, so I’m a little on edge right now. Sorry if I’ve offended you somehow.”

She gave him a motherly smile: “It’s ok, we’ve been together long enough for me to learn a few things about you. I know you aren’t trying to be offensive on purpose, you do it either on accident or to defend your male pride.”

“I’m glad you understand. I don’t approve of everything you do, but I realize you’re my best bet for getting out of here alive. So I don’t want to appear ungrateful or disrespectful towards you.”

“That’s all nice, but your stew is getting cold.”

She took a spoonful of the stew, putting it in her mouth. Her eyes closed on their own, with her face making the expression of pure bliss.

“Mmm … it’s so good,” she said once she had swallowed it, “I really needed this.”

“It’s that good?” Eric asked.

“See it for yourself,” she said, a second spoonful already on its way toward her lips.

Encouraged by her reaction, Eric did the same.

“Mmm … wow! It really is great!”

“I told you I made us something special.”

“And this meat, it’s so … tender. I prefer barbeque the most, but this cooked meat is really great! It’s so … strong and tasty!”

“Oh yeah! Elves don’t have much meat on their bones, but it tastes great. It has no fat, so it doesn’t make good barbeque material, but when boiled in a stew … it’s perfect!”

Eric was about to put the second spoonful in his mouth when his hand froze.

“… what?”

“What?”

“What did you say about the elves?”

“They taste great. In every way imaginable.”

“Wait, wait,” his hand returned the spoon back to the bowl, “You’re messing with me now, aren’t you?”

“Doesn’t it taste great?” She looked at him in surprise.

“You gotta be messing with me.”

“What the fuck is your problem? I made you a great meal, and instead of thanking me, you’re pissy all of a sudden!”

“Did you really cook a person and give it to me to eat?”

“Well … yeah. I see no problem because she was dead anyway.”

Eric put the bowl on the floor before looking her sternly in the face: “Are you a cannibal?”

“A cannibal?” She gave him an offended glare once she realized what he was asking, “Of course not!”

“Didn’t you just tell me you’ve cooked us an elf?”

“Yes, I did! But the elves are a completely different race! How can you say I’m a cannibal when we’re eating a different race?”

“They’re still people!”

The loudness of Eric’s roar surprised her, making her recoil while giving him an inquisitive look.

“So?”

“How can you eat people? How can you eat sentient creatures?”

“With my mouth, of course,” Phisola put another spoonful in her mouth right after saying that, as if trying to make a point that didn’t need any making.

“And you think that’s normal? You think that’s ok?”

“Why wouldn’t it be ok? She was already dead, it’s not like I hunted her for food. It would be a waste to let such a delicious meat rot.”

“So, what, are you going to eat me too eventually? Is that what I have to look forward to?”

“Nah, you’re not as tasty as an elf.”

Eric stared at her for a while without saying anything. Phisola didn’t say anything either but kept on eating the stew while looking him in the eyes smugly, clearly taunting him.

“This has to be yet another one of your fucked-up games,” Eric said before rushing back to the heart of their lair, “I’m going to check.”

“Check what?”

“You’re clearly fucked in the head. I’m going to check in what way.”

He headed for the bloody cauldron as soon as he had entered the large room. Right away, he saw there was only one body hanging above it now, with the elf’s body missing.

He looked around franticly, trying to find it, and he quickly saw a sign that something was amiss. Large bones sat atop the kitchen table, discarded to the side.

And as soon as he started examining them, he saw that one was still connected to a fully intact foot, with skin and nails still on it.

“I don’t know why you’re blowing it out of proportion so much,” he heard Phisola say behind him, “but this isn’t something to be upset about. We’re in a dungeon where food is scarce. It’s only natural that …”

Eric turned his head slowly, giving her a stare that made her stop mid-sentence. It was the stare she was somewhat used to back home, something her mother would give her when she was being particularly annoying or when she would make a huge mistake. But she never expected such a stare from Eric, who was clearly a wimp and couldn’t even take care of himself.

He stared at her with the silent rage of a devil who was about to unleash his fury.